


Darlin' I'm Not Coming Home

by TroublesomePhoenix



Category: One Piece
Genre: AU, Angst, Coping with losing your whole world, Fluff, Found Family, Found Family Dynamics, Hurt/Comfort, Maybe Romance, Minor Character Death, OC is NOT from OP world, OH HO OC might end up with a lover!, This is going to be like a serious fic but also like I'm sad so it's indulgent too, Unbeta'd, each chapter has its own warnings so make sure to check that!, fuck teach I hate him, how do you tag that, last tag I SWEAR, the idea of this OC being dumped into the world of OP and dealing with the loss of her own is, the romance is not the main focus, this is going to be self-indulgent too so be aware of that lmao, universe jumping, whoops
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-22
Updated: 2020-04-22
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:15:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,486
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23793715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TroublesomePhoenix/pseuds/TroublesomePhoenix
Summary: Belladonna Moss figured that Ms. Ellenor's stories were memories her mind had created in her loneliness, a way to make up for the fact no one ever visited her at Meadows Retirement Home, but staring at the photos clutched in her hands then back up at the Strongest Man Alive she comes to the very startling realization that the elderly woman who called her 'sweetie' and knitted her ugly sweaters was telling the truth about being a pirate._________A whole world lost, Belladonna has come to understand that the sea she longed for wasn't meant for smooth sailing.
Relationships: Adding later - Relationship, Undecided
Comments: 4
Kudos: 11





	Darlin' I'm Not Coming Home

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!   
> Thanks for clicking on my work, this is my first fanifc in a hot minute and the only One Piece one I've ever posted, so I hope you enjoy after a few notes!  
> I've been rolling this around for a couple months, working on later scenes but never quite starting it but now here we are- I have a first chapter (that's completely unbeta'd so forgive me for any mistakes please)! This is a little self-indulgent, quarantine is really kicking my ass and this has definitely taken my mind off of things. I wouldn't call this a fix-it because OC only knows a little of what's to come but it will change things, a ripple in the pond if you will.  
> Last thing, I'm going to put warnings at the beginning of each chapter and will add them to the overall rating if needed. Right now I have the "Graphic Depictions of Violence" selected but it's not all that graphic to be honest? I just thought I'd rather be safe then sorry.  
> Anyways!  
> Warnings for this chapter: blood, minor character death

The night had settled hours ago, a dark inkinesss that only Belladonna’s headlights pierce for miles- the county where the long stretch of back country roads resided didn’t bother with street lamps and the tall foliage of trees didn’t allow much of the moon to shine through. It was alright though, she had driven these roads since she was a teenager and the forest she couldn’t even attempt to see into didn’t scare her much anymore. Sure, she still looks for the reflection of eyes to make sure she wouldn’t be hitting anything but otherwise Belladonna relaxes back into her seat as she talks to her papa, “It was a good weekend, the competitions this year held a lot of promising fighters.” she yawns a little, “It’s a shame I won’t be able to see the last of the duels that’re taking place later this morning, but Carl switched my night shift for an afternoon one when I didn’t answer his call to argue with him about it so I’ll be back there by 5am, papa.”

The reception makes the phone crackle but she still hears him grumble, “A sneaky rat, that man is.” his voice comes through clearer as he goes on, “Well, tell me what else went on- better than reading the morning comics again with my coffee.”

Belladonna smiles as she complies, “A mighty big compliment, papa, I’m better than your beloved orange cat?” he laughs as she goes on, “The market was expanded for all the new sellers they brought in and my wallet isn’t happy with me but I’ve been looking to get a new axe for a while now.” her voice turns dreamy, “I can’t wait to show you, papa. It’s double headed and big as all hell- a hefty thing for sure, too big to be allowed in any sort of match but holy hell is she a beaut. She swings like a dream.” Belladonna giggles a little as she remembers the smith’s face when she picked up the axe and did some practice moves with it. Coming out of her trance, Belladonna shakes her head and smirks as she focused back on the road, “Plus I got the kiddos some little wooden axes of their own to swing around, I’d like to see those little bullies down the road throw rocks at them now.” she cackles.

A raspy chuckle comes over the line, “I can’t wait, sweetpea but Ivy is going to have your head for that.” Belladonna winces, her cackling dying down at the reminder of her older sister’s wrath.

“Ah, I know but those little shits won’t stop bullying my hellions no matter how much Ivy goes over to talk to their parents or how far away they play from their house.” she glowers at nothing, remembering the scrapes she cleaned on her two nephews, “If you can’t talk to them, beat em- right papa?”

He sighs, deep and exasperated, “Should have never said that to you damn kids.” he grumbles, “And you’re usually the nice one, Bells- what happened to my sweet little girl?”

Belladonna laughs at his dramatics, the frown wiped from her face, “I’m still sweet as tea, papa.” he snorts at that, “Well I am! Besides, you’re the one who christened me with Hell Bells, don’t be so sour that I’m livin up to my name!”

Just as he goes to reply, her phone beeps and she glances over at it only to groan. “Bells?” her papa asks, voice quickly switching to concern, “You alright?”

“It’s a work number and if Carl is calling me about something else…” she curses as it beeps again, “I’ll call you back, papa- I should take this.”

She can practically hear his frown, “Don’t go givin out favors while tired, Bells. Love you and drive safe, darlin’.”

Telling him the same, Belladonna reaches out and with a little more force than necessary to answer the call interrupting her conversation, “Hello?”

“Now don’t go sounding so mean, Bell.” the tired voice of Meredith, her boss, replies, “I wouldn’t be calling you so late on your weekend off if it wasn’t prudent.”

Belladonna lets out a sigh and reigns in her temper, “Sorry, Merry. I know you wouldn’t, I thought it was Carl calling again to be a bother.” she flicks on her blinker and turns onto the road that’ll lead her into town rather than home- she has a feeling about where this conversation is about to lead, “What do you need?”

“That man…” Merry grumbles and Belladonna hears the furious scratching of a pen before Merry comes back to the phone, “He needs to stop being so flighty, I’ll be sure to talk to him about that but I do need you to come in. Shelly caught the flu from her kid apparently and had to leave early. Mina is already in with me but Hannah, Robert, and Tony aren’t answering their phones, the buggers, so I need you to come in just for a little bit. A couple hours at most until Emma comes in for her shift, please Bell? I know you’re coming home from that fair you always go to and are supposed to come in tomorrow,” she pauses, “well I suppose later today, but we really need the hands.”

Belladonna can hear how Merry is starting to work herself up so she cuts her off, “I’m already on my way, Merry. As long as you don’t ,,mind me out of scrubs, really, I’ll be there in under ten minutes.”

A tired sigh is heard over the line, “That’s fine, it’s only a couple hours. As long as it’s not pajamas or anything, you showing up at all is a blessing. Thank you, Bell.”

“It’s no problem.” they trade goodbyes and the call ends with a quick tap of her finger.

 _"Well,”_ she thinks as she slows to check the fourway at the blinking stop light before continuing on to Meadow Retirement Home, _“I guess I’ll be getting a little bump to my paycheck at least, lessen the damage the renfaire did to my wallet.”_ She grins as she thinks of the axe in the big duffel in her backseat, being able to lift it was challenge enough but she can just imagine using it in the ring at her next faire tournament, _“Oh, it wouldn’t be allowed- it would_ _demolish_ _anyone in one good hit but the thought of being able to really wield it…”_ Caught up in the daydream, Belladonna almost misses the turn into work but the large white mansion is stark enough against the night that it snaps her back into reality.

Parking and shutting off her car quickly, Belladonna snatches her phone from the dash and jumps out of her old neon but pauses as she goes to close her door. Usually she wouldn’t mind leaving her bags in her backseat but before she left for the faire Thursday night, papa had been reminding Ivy to make sure her doors were locked at work because of a string of break-ins to people’s cars in town. 

The warning her papa had given echoing in her head must make her a little more paranoid than normal because Belladonna feels a prickling on her neck that has her glancing over her shoulder only see the empty street, “Little sleep makes for an active imagination.” she mummers to herself before shaking her head and facing the problem in the back seat.

Frowning at the duffels, Belladonna figures it’s better to be safe than sorry and reaches back into the front to pop her trunk before hauling out the bags. Grunting at the weight, she scurries to the rear of her car only to open it and find there was no space left. She had forgotten that she had yet to take out the tire that had blown a couple weeks ago, taking up all the space in her tiny trunk. Eyes to the sky, Belladonna wishes for patience and slams the trunk before rushing back around to the side of the car to do the same to her front door. 

She idles by the back one for a second before deciding to shove the smaller of the two packs under the front seat and just take the other inside with her- she’s not risking her axe getting stolen, _‘No way, not after how much I paid for it.’_ Locking the car, she pulls out her phone to send a quick text to her papa to tell him what was going on so he wouldn’t worry. The cool night she feels on her stomach has her shivering and looking down as she shoves the phone back into her pocket, _‘Oh yeah, definitely not scrubs.’_ Belladonna thinks, sighing for the upeenth time that night before quickly button up her shirt up over her cropped tank top, _'That'll have to do, Merry calling me in so last minute shouldn't be mad at a button up and shorts.'_

Hefting the bag over her shoulder, Belladonna spares one more look behind before hurrying to the front door.

There’s a bit of a fumble to get it unlocked but once she’s inside, Belladonna clicks the lock back quickly and lets out a relieved breath, _‘Gods, what’s up with you? Getting all worked up over nothing?’_ blowing out another breath, she shakes her head, as if she’s trying to knock out all the nonsense, and starts to make her way towards Merry’s office so that she can get this shift started as soon as possible. 

Before she makes it more than a couple steps, a voice calls out, “Bell! Oh thank goodness you’re here!” Merry comes rushing down the stairs, “I’ve already checked in on Mr. Foley and Mrs. Carrol so all that’s left on this rotation is Ms. Reynolds and I know how much you love her- Oh my!” Merry finally looks up from the clipboard in her hands and gets a good look at Belladonna, “You weren’t kidding about not wearing scrubs, okay! That’s fine! Just as long as wearing such… bright shirts isn’t a common thing.” her eyes linger on the bright fish weaving through each other patterned on her button up before taking the rest of her in, raising her brow at the large tattoos peeking out from under her shorts.

Belladonna, sufficiently ready to move on, smiles awkwardly and changes the subject, “Do you have somewhere I can store it until I leave? Papa said there was a person breaking into cars lately and I didn’t want to risk leaving it in my backseat.”

Merry hums, breaking her stare, “Ms. Reynolds is already up, I heard her moving around in her room, and the others on the rotation shouldn’t be up until Emma gets here at 6:30 so just take it up with you. She’ll probably drag you into her stories, as per usual, so you won’t have to lug it around.” 

With a nod, Belladonna gives her thanks and scoots past Merry to make her way up to Ms. Reynolds’ room. It’s a short walk, the room is the first to the right at the top of the stairs and she knocks twice, “Elle?” 

A shuffle and then the door is being thrown open, a harried Ellenor Reynolds stares down at her through thick bottle glasses with a grin on her face, “Bella! My dear! Come in, come in!” she ushers her in and firmly closes the door once she’s inside, “Oh it’s so good you’re here, perfect timing really.”

Belladonna sets her bag down by the wall and offers the crook of her arm to Elle despite the old crone being so spry, leading her to the two small chairs that’s set up in front of the large bay windows she’s drawn the curtains back from, “Perfect timing?” Belladonna asks, sitting once Elle does.

“Yes! I wanted to say goodbye.” Elle leans forward to grab a wooden box Belladonna hadn’t noticed, opening the lid to sift through it.

She draws out a thick envelope and something else that gleams in the low light that’s quickly hidden in the long sleeve of her cardigan. A chill starts to creep up Belladonna’s spine but she leans back in the chair and says lightly, “Goodbye?” 

Elle peers at her over the rims of her glasses, green eyes suddenly sharp and bright, “He’s coming, Belladonna, and it’s my time to go home. _”_

A breeze from the open window blows the curtains high and Belladonna freezes, Elle’s cryptic games had never made her heart beat against her chest with this sort of fervor. The skin on the back of neck prickles and Belladonna shoots up from her chair, going to the window to close it when Elle speaks up again, “That won’t stop him.”

Looking over her shoulder, Belladonna meets Elle’s eyes and she wants to shy away from the intensity that she finds there but this is Ellenor- a woman she had come to care for immensely over the two years she had worked here. Who weaved her stories of her supposed past, pirates and freedom on the sea. A memory strikes her, when she first came to work at Meadows, and Tony had found her on break.

_"She’s full of it, you know.” he steps out next to her on the porch, lighting up a cigarette that she wrinkles her nose at as the smoke wafts over to her._

_“Who?” Belladonna coughs, taking several steps back from the cloud he lets drift from his lips._

_"Ellenor, the stories she told you today? There’s no way those are real, most of the characters are from this anime One Piece anyways.” he snorts, “Her grandkids or whatever probably watched it in front of her and now she thinks they’re her own memoires.”_

_Frowning, Belladonna thinks back to her college years and remembers the pirate anime she had loved her freshman year before she had stopped watching for whatever reason, “I’ve heard of that, but she talked about men called Edward and Roger didn’t she? All I remember is Luffy and his crew.” she squints and then laughs, “But it's been about nine years or something since I’ve seen it so I don’t remember much.”_

_Tony doesn’t laugh with her, “I looked it up, they’re apparently like big name pirates or whatever in the show. Ellenor talks about them like they’re old friends and makes up adventures she had in the ‘good old days’.” he snubs out the cigarette on the bottom of his shoe, “I’m just letting you know, she’s a crazy old bat.”_

_The acidic tone he uses has the hair on the back of her neck rising, “That’s a bit harsh, don’t you think? The therapist here would have diagnosed her if he thought something was wrong.” she frowns again at his scoff, “Alright, well I’ll keep in mind that Ms. Reynolds’ has some fun telling stories and won’t take it to heart.”_

_Tony rolls his eyes, “Whatever, don’t say I didn’t warn you.” and he takes off back inside, leaving Belladonna alone on the back porch._

_Shaking her head, Belladonna turns to do the same but something makes her pause and look up. She jumps when she sees Ms. Reynolds staring down at her but regains her composure and waves up at her with a small smile. The elderly woman’s face transforms from something serious and almost frightening to a smile of her own, returning the wave with a gentle wag of her fingers._

_Belladonna returns inside and goes up to Ms. Reynolds room, figuring that she’ll talk to her more- the others probably didn’t stick around to listen to her stories if they all thought like Tony._

It hadn’t meant much to her over the two years that Elle had told her stories that she mixed with characters from an anime that Belladonna had looked up the wikis for so she could learn some of the background that Elle usually went without. It’s what they had first bonded over, the fantastical past- Elle with her stories of pirates and Belladonna with her love of ren faires that leaned more towards J.R.R’s universe than their own. The older woman had regaled her with tales of not only the adventures but of the fights, how she used to be able to wield two swords and hold her own against the best of them. In return, Belladonna would tell her about the competitions she would go to and though they weren’t as grandiose as the older woman’s own, Elle would listen raptly all the same.

No, it hadn’t mattered much to her that Elle’s stories weren’t entirely her own- she simply enjoyed the time they spent together when the woman was put onto Belladonna’s rotation list. But now… now it was something more.

“Did you feel him too?” Elle is suddenly in front of her and Belladonna jumps as she grabs one of her hands and turns it palm up, “He’s been looking for me for a long time, this morning is all that I have left now.”

Wide eyed, Belladonna stares up at her, “What do you mean? What’s going on Elle?”

Ignoring her questions, Elle places a few pictures into her hand, “Tell me, Bella, what do you see?”

Sighing, knowing that she can only do Elle’s way, she brings the photos closer to inspect and promptly chokes, “These are…” Belladonna trails off and looks up at Elle once again with wide eyes.

Elle smiles, an old and sad thing, and taps the pictures with one finger, “Pictures of a far younger me with Edward, Rogue, and Roger? Yes, they are.” she taps the photos again, “Keep going.” Belladonna obliges, “These are of a sprouting Shanks, Marco, and Buggy.” a younger Elle crouches between three teenage boys, hands on the two furthest ones’ heads and pushing them together with a laugh, “This is the only more recent one I have,” it’s Elle as she is now, if without half the white hair, and she had her hands on her hips as she stared down several grown adults covered in what looked like cake while several others laughed in the background, “And this is a family photo.” a huge group of people crowd together and Belladonna can hardly make out Elle next to a giant of a man who looks like… she’s holding the hand of? 

“Ellenor…” her voice is soft but Elle just taps the photos again and Belladonna goes to the last picture.

“We called this our wedding day.” she chokes out as Belladonna looks at the photo of Elle and who she now knows to be Edward Newgate looking at each other with such love in their eyes that Belladonna feels her heart constrict, “Ed insisted that white was too old fashioned for such young souls like us and I told him that my mama had always told me something blue was needed so that the bond would be forever strong. He liked it, said that was why the sea was the same color, and he went out to get this gods awful fully blue suit with a dress to match.” Elle laughs wetly, “My heart was so full in that moment, in that ugly dress and exchanging rings on a beach with him surrounded by our friends and family.” 

Belladonna pulls the woman into a hug, “Oh Ellenor, I’m so sorry.” she doesn’t know exactly what happened, but seeing Elle with tears streaming down her face and a deep aching in her eyes had forced Belladonna to embrace her.

“Ten years I’ve lived with this regret.” Elle’s voice is strained as she pulls away, taking the photos as she goes back to her chair and collapses in it, “If I hadn’t been so foolish, if I hadn’t found that damnable fruit, if I had simply left it alone.” she picks up the wooden box again, shoving the photos in before staring down at it blankly, thumb tracing the flowers carved on the side, “So many if’s, hm?” letting out a deep sigh, Elle looks up at Belladonna, “Have I ever told you how I came to be here? At the Meadows?”

Belladonna shakes her head, “No.. no it never came up. I just assumed that…” she trails off again.

Elle laughs lightly, with no real joy, “Dropped off when I couldn’t take care of myself anymore by kids who don’t visit? It’s easier to let people think that, really. No, ten years ago we had sailed to an island and it seemed deserted for the most part, nothing but the animals lived on it. Most of the crew stayed back but something in the back of my mind _itched_ and so I explored. I was on that island for hours, walking every inch of it and still a feeling deep in my gut said I had to keep looking so I did. I stumbled across it when the moon was high- a devil fruit that seemed to be almost translucent. The beginning of the end.” 

She clenches the box tightly and Belladonna isn’t sure if she should comfort her but the older woman soldiers on, “I took it back to the ship and researched, Ed and I took precautions when it came to those fruits- what if it was something dangerous? That did more harm than good? So we locked it up and looked for answers, pulling in the 12th division to see if they had heard any whispers of such a fruit and one of the lead men took a special sort of interest in the research.” another joyless laugh, “We were so blind, it’s our biggest flaw really- the concept of our family having a bond so strong that of course no one would break it. Foolish and idealistic pirates we were, I should have seen it coming. Reed, that was his name, he already had a devil fruit- one that controlled the very particles of our being. It was useful and strong in a fight but I guess that this new devil fruit planted ideas into his head. Ideas that if he could control atoms of humans, why not that of the world? Of space? Of time?”

A titter comes from the window behind them and both women whirl around, “You make it sound so fantastical, Ellenor.”an absolute giant of a man seems to seep out of the shadows, “It was more than that and you _robbed_ me of it all!” stalking forward, the man ignores Belladonna and goes up to Elle, “You’re the reason we’re here! The reason I was TRAPPED!” he goes to grab her but suddenly Elle is gone and standing by the door.

“Oh Reed,” Elle starts, her voice strained as she falls against the wall and sliding down out of sight behind the bed, “you’ve only ever had yourself to blame.” and then she’s launching to her feet, hurling Belladonna’s duffel at Reed.

Scrambling out of the way, Belladonna ducks behind the chair and winces at Reed’s shriek, “MY FAULT?” peaking over the edge, Belladonna watches as he catches her bag and yelps as he throws it her way, “YOU’RE THE ONE WHO ATE THE FRUIT, _MY_ FRUIT!” 

“You know that one person can only consume one fruit, that’s how it's always been. Your dream has always been doomed.” Elle taunts back, teleporting again to the wall opposite of the door.

Belladonna’s jaw drops, _‘What is she doing?! He’s going to attack her at this rate!’_ Elle makes eye contact with her and subtly jerks her head towards the door she just left open, _‘Oh Elle, don’t do this.’_ Shaking her head, Belladonna mouths at Elle to _leave! Go!_ But the older woman just shakes her head once before focusing back on Reed, “So what’re you doing here now? It took you ten years just to find little ol’ me and you want to go back?” 

There's no time to react before Reed is behind Belladonna and gripping her by the hair, wraping the dark locks around his fist to drag her to her feet. She tries to swing her bag backwards to hit him but he just chuckles and then there's a blade to her neck, “I want to make you suffer, Ellenor- I want revenge but yes, you’re going to take us back and she’s going to be my insurance that you do.” 

Urging her forward, Belladonna clutches her bag tightly in her hand and looks to Elle, “Just run, Elle! You don’t have to- fuck!” she cries when Reed moves the blade to her collarbone and _pushes,_ the blood _(her blood, oh gods)_ warm as it drips down her chest.

“I don’t think so,” he tsks and forces her to walk towards a furious Elle, “do as I say and she doesn’t die painfully, Ellenor. Your choice.”

Closing her eyes, Ellenor sighs, “Fine. We do this your way, just- put the knife away, she can’t run with how you’re holding her anyways.”

“Fine.” and then Belladonna is crying out again as he pulls the knife away roughly and it catches her again, “Get on with it.”

Ellenor makes her way to where they stand and reaches a hand out, gently caressing Belladonna’s cheek, “I’m sorry you got caught up in this, Bella.” her gentle eyes harden as they look behind her at Reed, “You have to activate yours first, I can only do it if you encompass us all- that's what you did last time.”

Reed says nothing but suddenly Belladonna’s entire body starts to tingle, a prickle like her entire body is going numb, “What’s.. what’s happening?”

The hand Elle still has on her face forces her to focus, “I really am sorry, Bella, but it’s the only way.” Belladonna feels Reed shift behind her at Elle’s words.

“Enough talking, get on with it already!” the buzzing under her skin becomes harsher at his annoyance.

Elle’s eyes are wet with tears, “It's the only way,” and that 's when she sees it, the glittering Elle had hidden away in her sleeve is the wicked edge of a blade and Belladonna's eyes widen in horror, Elle gently wiping the tear that tracks down her cheek, "tell my family I love them."

And then Belladonna is gone, Reed’s outraged scream echoing in her ears as her body seems to stretch and distort- her very being disappearing from this world.

Reed stares down at the empty space where she was standing, “What did you DO?” but Elle has already dropped the seastone blade to her hand and shoves it deep into Reed's chest, “YOU BITCH!” And in his rage, Reed lashes out and drives his knife into Ellenor's heart, “I TOLD YOU! I TOLD YOU I WOULD GET REVENGE!” 

But all Ellenor does is smile, blood gurgling past her lips, “And now I’ve had mine. You’ll never return.”

**Author's Note:**

> What did ya'll think? Does this make sense lmao?  
> Please let me know your thoughts in the comments, I'd love to hear them!!  
> Thank you for reading, much love!!


End file.
